Connections - Spring/Summer 2024 by DLFF Marketing

IN THIS ISSUE Issue 3 | Volume 2

3 4 8 10 11

From the Desk of Sue DiLisio

Executive Director, DLFF

Focus on Education

Pathway Scholars Program Recap

Focus on Community Service

Scholar Service Program Year In Review

Counseling News

Alumni Scholar Spotlight

Colton Jiorle '20

Elementary Partner News News & Notables

About DLFF: The mission of the Danaher Lynch Family Foundation is to help unleash the potential of the people in our community. Through this mission, our team connects closely with educational and community organizations whose programs inspire an individual's growth, confidence, and the ability to recognize their own unlimited potential.

DESIGNERS

On the Cover:

This issue's theme, From Choice and Purpose Comes Impact, is displayed with a collage of photos to showcase the immense impact DLFF has made on the community over the course of this year.

FROM THE DESK OF SUE DILISIO

Dear DLFF Scholars, Parents, Educational and Community Partners,

I can tell how busy our foundation has been this year by the challenge of trying to narrow down the material to share with you!

There are some DLFF team updates as we enter the 24-25 school year. Mrs. Maggie Fischer has accepted a position as Assistant Principal at Lansdale Catholic High School. We are truly grateful for the commitment that Mrs. Fischer demonstrated while she served DLFF as Director of our Scholar program for two years and for three years as DLFF Director of Academic Services. We wish her all the very best in her new role. In addition, Mrs. Kathy Moro will be joining DLFF as part of our scholar mentorship team in addition to assisting the CEC counseling department and International program.

DLFF continues to serve the mission of “Helping to Unleash the Potential of People in Our Community” in a variety of ways. Our previous two publications of Connections have focused on our team “In Motion,” and “Understanding the Why Before the What.” In this edition, you’ll read about the DLFF impact created by educated choice and focused purpose within our support, service, and programs.

Our DLFF team places priority on building relationships and connecting the dots from community and educational needs to scholar experiences. This is how we believe we can truly help unleash potential. As we learn more about our community and educational partners through strategic discussions, we make educated choices on support and programs. As our learning grows about our partners, we can then teach our scholars the value and importance of these organizations, the work they do and how students can play a vital role in creating impact.

On behalf of Tom and Patty Lynch and our entire DLFF team, thank you to all our partners for continuing to welcome and work with us. To our Pathway and CEC Scholars, thank you for your commitment to developing responsibility, accountability, initiative and leadership through your service and mentor experiences. Congratulations to our Class of 2024 Scholars. We wish you the very best that life has to offer, and we hope that you will stay in touch with your DLFF family.

Finally, thank you to an inspiring team of DLFF colleagues that make this mission come alive each day.

Sincerely,

Sue DiLisio Executive Director, DLFF

FOCUS ON EDUCATION

2024-2025 PATHWAY SCHOLARS ANNOUNCED

Our Pathway elementary schools have completed the process for choosing their new Pathway Scholarship winners. At the end of May, Mrs. Sue DiLisio and Mrs. Kathy Shegda visited each school to present their certificates. Welcome to our newest members of the DLFF Family!

Holy Family

Grace Alvino

Austin Raccasi

Charleigh Reilly

Holy Trinity

John "Jack" Houmas

Isabella Keller

Kate Moran

Tyrone Loaiza-Leon

Luke Loeffler

Ava Wermuth

Nahum Wolde-Yohannes

St. Charles Borromeo

Ethan Thomas

Liam Wajda

Dominc Graf

Our Lady of Grace

Seamus Conaway

Gwyneth Dalton

Carter Esposito

Muskaan Patel

Aiden Walsh

St. Andrew

Natalie Saucier

Henry Stefano

St Ephrem

Jack Fehrle

Abigail Viola

Audrey Cacchio

Joseph Tollok

Gavin Fehrle

St. Ignatius

Owen DiLeonardo

Maria Loggie

St. Mark

Ava Weir

Kristy Vu

Stella Walker

Analiza Kline

St. Michael the Archangel

Diana Barnes

Gavin Broll

Ryleigh Byrne

John Chapman

Robert Levick

Luciana Monteleone

By Kathy Shegda Pathway Scholars Liaison

The Pathway Scholar Program has seen growth and success with our young scholars during the 20232024 school year! This year, in addition to the Greeting Card Project, we added a donation drive. Our elementary scholars were tasked with planning, organizing, and collecting the donations. During the month of March, a representative from each school's partner organization came to speak to the students about the mission of their organization and how service impacts their clients. Each individual school agreed to have a donation drive to meet the needs of their community partner organization.

Our scholars were challenged to practice and strengthen their DLFF leadership traits by planning and executing a donation drive. Scholars needed to use initiative to get the project started, responsibility to get their assigned task done, and

PATHWAY

accountability to themselves and each member on the team. We are so proud of the fantastic job by all our Pathway Scholars!

Below is the list of Pathway

PATHWAY SCHOLAR PROGRAM RECAP

Schools, their community partner, and the specific donations:

Holy Family - Partner: Family Services Association. Project: Pet Food and Baby Food

Thank you to Amy Gallo,

technology teacher at HFRCS, for ALL of her help with Pathway projects.

Holy Trinity – Partner: Ivins Outreach. Project: Toiletries for their senior program

Special thanks to Pathway moms, Kim Burgess and Megan Bower for their help in coordinating the drive and delivering the donations.

Our Lady of Grace –A Woman's Place. Household supplies for their shelter

St. Charles – Partner: YWCA of Bucks County. Project: Household supplies for YWCA safe house for exploited women

St. Ephrem Partner: Delaware Valley Veterans. Project: Toiletries

A special thanks to Ed Sabol and Maureen from the Levittown American Legion Post for helping to distribute the unbelievable abundance of donations to various veteran sights. Ed is the grandfather of DLFF CEC scholar, Jon Hall. Also, thank

you to Pathway moms Kim McCarthy, Denise Conti, and Kerri Jacoby for their help with the drive.

St. Ignatius - Partner: Cradle of Hope. Project: Baby supplies for new mothers

Special shout out to Mrs. Helene Crozier for her support of the projects!

St. Mark – Partner: Christmas Gala. Project: Kitchen and bath supplies for senior citizens

Thank you to Diana Muenier, mom of Pathway Scholar Jack Muenier, for helping to coordinate the drive and delivering the donations.

St. Michael – Partner: YMCA. Project: Child care supplies for Stay & Play program

Thanks to Liz Wurtz for supporting the scholars during the drive! ■

CHECK OUT THE NEW PATHWAY SCHOLARS PROGRAM LOGO!

DLFF/CEC SCHOLAR PROGRAM NEWS

By Maggie Fischer Fmr. Director of the DLFF/CEC Scholar Program

The DLFF CEC Scholar Program has had a robust school year filled with service activities, mentorship opportunities, and relationship-building events. Our scholars never fail to impress with their commitment to serving others, and they have made a significant impact on the community. We are thrilled to share the latest updates, achievements, and upcoming events.

Scholar Program Updates

The heart of the DLFF CEC Scholar Program is unleashing the potential of people in the community by developing the core traits of accountability, initiative and responsibility through service. With this mission in mind, DLFF scholars are encouraged to take on leadership roles within the program. They can lead service team projects, create their own service project, or become a member of the Scholar Leadership Council (SLC). We had a record number of scholars to accept nominations to serve on next year’s SLC. The newest members have been elected, and we look forward to a productive school ahead with our leadership team.

In addition to an emphasis on scholar

leadership, mentorship within the Scholar Program offers a holistic approach to the personal growth of each individual student. Scholars regularly meet with DLFF team mentors, who bridge connections to resources available both at CEC and within the broader community. Scholars are encouraged to meet with any of the DLFF mentors throughout the year, but most of the mentorship takes place organically, through organized service activities and specialized workshops. This year, the DLFF team held our first Lunch and Learn, a workshop series that focuses on providing extra support and resources to help students achieve their maximum potential.

Our April Lunch and Learn focused on Balancing Busy Schedules. Some key takeaways from the session included:

• Setting Clear Goals: Define your short-term and long-term goals to stay focused and motivated.

• Seeking Mentorship: Connect with mentors who can provide guidance and support as you navigate your academic and service endeavors.

• Staying Organized: Keep track of your commitments and deadlines to manage your time effectively.

• Reflect Regularly: Take time to reflect on your experiences and learn from them to continuously improve.

We look forward to offering additional Lunch and Learn workshops next school year, in collaboration with CEC’s Counseling Program and the Center for Student Leadership.

Service and leadership are a top priority, but DLFF scholars also like to have fun! The PALS (Peer Assimilation with Local Scholars) program provides the opportunity for our scholars to expand their horizons by spending time with exchange students. Some events included the annual PALSgiving, a Thanksgiving feast shared by scholars and international students at CEC. The PALS also attended a Philadelphia Orchestra performance followed by a Lunar New Year Celebration at the Kimmel Center.

The PALS enjoyed yet another Lunar New Year Celebration at the CEC International House, hosted by AnB Education, Conwell-Egan’s local international agency partner. Other scholar social events this year included the Pi Day Social in March and the End-of-Year Scholar Pizza Party in May.

Scholar Achievements

Special congratulations are in order to many of our DLFF CEC scholars, and below are just a few acknowledgements:

▲ Pictured above: The 2023-2024 DLFF/CEC Scholars at the annual Scholar Brunch in March.

Creative Arts scholar Ariella Parks took the win this year in the annual T-shirt Design Contest. Her drawing was featured on the 2023-2024 DLFF t-shirt, which is worn with pride by both scholars and DLFF team members. Her design will also be featured in a shadow box in the DLFF office, alongside past winners.

Brianna and Brooke McFadden were chosen to represent the Philadelphia Catholic League in the 37th Annual All-Star Labor Classic, which is an event run by the Philadelphia Organized Labor Union & The SuperHero project. The money raised went towards installing cameras in NICU wards so that parents can watch their babies when they are unable to be with them.

In April, Molly Milewski was presented with the Levittown Rotary Student of the Month award. Recipients are chosen based on the Mission of “Service Above Self.”

Elyssa Moulic’s CEC Robotics team won one Judge’s Award at Knight’s Competition in December and another Judge’s Award at the Norristown Invitational in March.

Both Elyssa and Tate Martin have served as moderators for the middle school robotics team, which will be expanding next year to include two middle school teams.

Chase Esposito got placed 3rd in his age group for the Sesame Street 5k and ninth place overall out of over 600 people. He was also a member of the CEC track team who took 2nd place in this year’s championship.

Jonathan Hall won 3rd place in Design and Valentina Recchia won 3rd place in Painting in this year’s Archdiocesan Art Show.

Class of 2024 Farewell

The DLFF Senior Scholar Farewell took place on May 29. We highlighted the scholars from the Class of 2024 and their many accomplishments throughout their time at Conwell-Egan.

The following senior scholars earned recognition for their impressive efforts of cultivating the DLFF traits of accountability, initiative, and responsibility throughout their high school career:

Molly Milewski and Scott Ray received the Leadership Award, presented by DLFF Executive Director Mrs. Sue DiLisio Monica Cunningham, Matthew Coppola and Brianna McFadden received the Service Award, presented by DLFF Director of Community Outreach Mrs. Pam Lynch.

Congratulations to all of our recent graduates and best wishes! We can’t wait to see the wonderful things you will accomplish.

Welcome Scholar Class of 2028!

• Abigail Blair

• Ruth Bower

• Collin Haney

• Patrick Haney

• Jude Holmes

• Payton Kenworthy

• Jack Meunier

• Shane Morrow

• Elizabeth Naphy

• Michael O’Brien

• Margaret Rogers

• Kendra Salas

• Tomas Santiago

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR NEW SLC REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE 2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR!

Executive Council

Co-Chairs: Brooke Bannon and Jonathan Hall

Secretary: Chase Esposito

Senior Rep: Maggie Murphy

Junior Rep: Abby Rooney

Sophomore Rep: Ben Long

SLC Service Leadership Team

We are so excited to welcome our newest scholars to CEC at the New Scholar Welcome on August 28, when we will get to know each other and participate in an on-site service project.

Thank you for a great year! ■

HAPPY TRAILS, MRS. FISCHER!

We wish Mrs. Fischer the best of luck in her new role as Assistant Principal of Academics at Lansdale Catholic High School. We thank Mrs. Fischer for her wonderful service to the Scholar Program at DLFF.

Macey Charmant

Alba Gonzalez

Calleigh Joyce

Mia Lochetto

Tate Martin

Anna Werneck Moreira

Elyssa Moulic

Julia Wade

PROGRAM

The Year in Review: A Record Year of Service for DLFF

By Pam Lynch Director of Community Outreach

2024 DLFF SERVICE TEAMS RECAP

FAMILY SERVICE TEAM

• Led by Mrs. Sue DiLisio

• Scholars on this team provided 186 hours of service to the Family Service Association of Bucks County

HOLY TRINITY SERVICE TEAM

• Led by Mrs. Kathy Shegda

• Scholars on this team provided 161 hours of service to Holy Trinity School

CREATIVE ARTS SERVICE TEAM

• Led by Mr. Jahmai Person & Ms. Kristin Addis

• Members of this team recorded the most service hours in the community - 229 hours

• Worked with variety of partners including: The Active DayCare Center of Bristol, Morrisville Senior Center, Morrisville Presbyterian Towers, and Bucks County Emergency Shelter

YMCA SERVICE TEAM

• Led by Mrs. Maggie Fischer

• Members of the team provided 229 hours of service in the community

• 138 of those hours were given directly to the YMCA of Bucks and Hunterdon County

"“VOLUNTEERING AT THE YMCA HELPED ME FULLY UNDERSTAND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A LEADER.”

-ANNA WERNECK MORIERA, CLASS OF 2027

“THE PERSONAL QUALITIES THAT I HAVE DEVELOPED THROUGHOUT MY SERVICE EXPERIENCE ARE COMMUNICATION, PROBLEM SOLVING, TEAMWORK, AND PATIENCE.”

-CHASE ESPOSITO, CLASS OF 2027

RONALD MCDONALD 'READ FOR THE HOUSE' RAISES OVER $3K

DLFF was thrilled to participate in Read for the House 2024, a month-long Read-a-Thon that raises money for families served by the Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). Team DLFF was made up of 13 scholars from Conwell-Egan, Saint Ephrem, Saint Ignatius, Saint Mark and Saint Michael. Together, the team read 2,820 minutes and they surpassed our goal to raise $1,000 for The Ronald McDonald House. DLFF matched all of the money the students raised, dollar for dollar and $3,110 was donated to Ronald McDonald House! Incredible work, team! Thank you for your commitment to helping families in need! ■

BILINGUAL BOOKMARKS FOR NOVA BUCKS & YMCA HEALTHY HORIZON PROGRAM

DLFF Scholars at CEC joined Mrs. Schuler’s spanish class to make uplifting bookmarks for two of our partners. The first partner was the YMCA of Bucks & Hunterdon County. Graduates of the Y’s Healthy Horizons Program each received a bookmark to remind them that their recovery process takes one step at a time. Our second partner was Network Of Victim Assistance (NOVA) Bucks. Clients of NOVA’s counseling services will be offered a bi-lingual bookmark to support their healing journeys. We hope they will offer comfort to someone who experienced a traumatic violent event.

Special shout-outs to:

• Ariella Parks for her beautiful bookmark design which was reproduced and colored at our Pi Day Social

• Cecilia McBeth for laminating all of the bookmarks

• Brooke Bannon for finishing the bookmarks with beautiful tassels

3RD ANNUAL CLOTHING DRIVE FOR A WOMAN’S PLACE & NOVA BUCKS

Our third annual DLFF/CEC Clothing Drive was an incredible success! The students, faculty and staff of CEC and DLFF donated a total of 122 bags of clothing to A Woman's Place and NOVA Bucks. This clothing was pre-sorted so it could quickly be sold in these organizations' thrift shops. Proceeds from the thrift shop sales go back to programs to help those affected by domestic violence. In addition, DLFF hosted a blue-themed dress down day in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month and Sexual Assault Awareness Month $916 was raised and donated to both organizations. Thank you to the Clothing Drive Team: Brooke Bannon, Mia Lochetto, Brianna & Brooke McFadden, Maggie Murphy, Julia Wade, Megan Werner and volunteers: Sarah Beck, Cameron Browne, Alexandrea Chapman, Matthew Coppola, Monica Cunningham, Chase Esposito, Lilyian Evans, Anna McGoldrick, Molly Milewski, Abby Nix, Valentina Recchia, and Sammy Rodriguez Without your efforts the clothing drive would not have been possible.

PATHWAY SCHOLAR SERVICE SUPERSTARS

Great work from our Pathway Scholars who lead the way with their service hours this year!

• Sienna Bova (HFRCS) 14 hours

• Aubrie Demi (OLG) 12 hours

• Hannah Cumplido-Delgardio (HFRCS) 11 hours

UPDATES FROM COUNSELING

By Mrs. Jenny Casey Director of School Counseling

Within the CEC Counseling Center, we all have our different strengths and passions that we bring to the table. Having a diverse age range of counselors brings fresh new ideas and experiences into a program. This school year, we had a new member join the counseling team. Mrs. Tammy Butts came to us from the Bucks County IU after working at Archbishop Wood for 25 years. Tammy has brought much knowledge regarding the school counseling field in all domains of school counseling. Being school counselors at CEC, and working in the community that we serve allows us to build personal relationships with our students and parents. Being in a private, Catholic school, we are able to find out what the student and family goals are and how we can help them succeed.

The 2023-2024 school year was my 5th school year working at CEC. During this time, I have noticed that the stigma of “going to guidance” has officially lifted. With the help of DLFF and the ability to have four counselors in the CEC building, we are finally able to see the impact this is having on our students and their families. With the consistency of our counselors being able to teach within the freshman and sophomore seminar classes, we are seeing growth from the underclassmen to upperclassmen when it comes to maturity, academic success, and college preparedness. Upperclassmen are coming into senior year, ready and willing to apply to college before they step foot into the building for their senior year. We are seeing

end results through our data platform, SCUTA, which allows us to capture growth from our students, why we are seeing them, what we need to see them for, and how we can better our School Counseling Program. We feel grateful that we are able to have such close relationships with our students, know every student’s name, and know that we are making a difference in their lives when they are here.

I can only speak for myself but I love coming to work everyday. I enjoy working with these young adults and helping them navigate their own path in life. I love hearing students wanting to do what I do because the skills given made an impact on their lives and they want to do the same. My long term goals for the Counseling Center at CEC is to expand our center, offer more services, connect with more mental health community partners, and potentially host a Stop the Stigma walk at our school. We hope that we instilled what character, excellence, and commitment into the Class of 2024 and wish them the best on their journey. ■

Pictured below: Three of the four members of the Counseling Team, Mr. Paul Jones, Mrs. Tammy Butts, and Mrs. Stacey Powell.

CONGRATS, GRADS!

This year, the Counseling team worked with CEC seniors in the Class of 2024 to help them earn over $25 million in scholarships for their efforts in and out of the classroom - the highest amount of scholarships received within the past five years! CEC graduate plans are rich in diversity and will include service in the military, joining the workforce, and attending colleges and universities all over the country. Good luck to the 142 graduates in the CEC Class of 2024!

DLFF ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

Colton Jiorle graduated from CEC in 2021, and is a DLFF Scholar Alumni. Currently an Electrical Engineering major at Bucknell University, He is heading into his senior year, and interning at the Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam. He recently won the IEEE Power and Energy Society’s Scholarship Plus award for the second year in a row.

1. What are your career goals?

Given the increasing need for creating more carbon-free and human-centered infrastructure with the US, I aim to eventually have a career dedicated to engineering sustainability. Namely, I hope to work within the field of renewable energy particularly with an emphasis on developing more economical consumer practices that can make clean energy sources attainable for everyday people. At Bucknell, I’ve been studying electrical engineering and power electronics to learn more as I continue to work towards these goals.

2. How has your time with DLFF helped shape your career aspirations?

While at Conwell-Egan, DLFF helped to create the Green Team student club where we learned about how critical the well-being of our environment is to our own success. Being exposed to the interconnectedness of society and our place in the world was instrumental for me to strive for creating a more well rounded society and planet for us all to live in. Additionally, the various leadership positions and workshops I was able to participate in through the DLFF helped me to build confidence that not only had an impact, but also allowed me to be a leader while doing so.

Seven Questions with Colton Jiorle

3. In what ways has your DLFF experience had an impact on who you are today?

The largest impression DLFF has left on me has been to ingrain service and community as a part of my everyday life. My drive to have a positive impact on the world is something which informs almost all of my major goals and is why I chose the career path that I did. I think there are many different paths I could have ended up going down but I specifically chose the one which I believe will ultimately have the largest impact for the most amount of people.

4. Can you share instances where DLFF allowed you or inspired you to give back to your community post high school graduation?

One of my most memorable service projects I did through the DLFF was the partnership with the Travis Manion Foundation. Our project was to build and maintain a community garden at the local homeless shelter. Not only was this for a good cause to connect residents with a purpose and source of fresh produce, I also found my own passion for gardening. Since coming to Bucknell, I’ve volunteered at the Bucknell farm, which provides the Union County Food Bank with over half of their total annual donations, numerous times and have really found a passion for combining agriculture with service.

5. Has the DLFF influenced your involvement in community service or volunteer work post high school graduation?

At Bucknell, I’m currently taking part in the Management 101 signature course where I have been elected by my classmates to serve as our company’s Vice President of Service. In this role, I’ll be leading a team of four of my peers to work on enhancements to the facilities of the Lewisburg Community Garden. By the end of the semester, we will have completed various projects, one of which being the planting of a brand new pollinator garden to help increase biodiversity in the area.

6. Tell us something exciting that has happened to you in the last year:

Last summer (2023) I had an internship at Limerick Generating Station in the Design Electrical Engineering department. Limerick is a nuclear facility that produces over 2,300 MW of power to Philadelphia and the surrounding counties. Additionally, Constellation, the operator of the plant, is the largest producer of nuclear energy in the country with plants as far as Illinois and New York. This was an incredibly exciting opportunity for me to learn more about careers within the power generation industry and I gained a ton of new professional skills and knowledge along the way.

7. Have there been any unexpected challenges that DLFF has assisted you in navigating?

One thing I hadn’t put much thought towards until actually needing to do it in college was interviewing for positions. I’ve found that there hasn’t been much consideration for interview practicing throughout my curriculum, however, the DLFF provided many opportunities to learn these soft skills in a constructive environment which set me up for success later down the line.

Colton enjoying the beautiful views of the Adirondack Mountains during one of his hiking trips.

ELEMENTARY PARTNERS

CREATIVE ARTS

UNLEASHING THE POTENTIAL OF THE ARTS THROUGH COLLABORATION

By Jahmai Person

Creative Arts Development Partner

DLFF’S creative arts team (CAT’s) has been nothing short of incredible this past year. From performing arts to visual arts, our DLFF/CEC and Pathway Scholars have been bringing the house down in both the Grace Danaher Performing Arts Center (PAC), and their community.

Through the collaborative efforts of DLFF and our partner elementary network, we are able to provide access to Elementary Partners’ events at the PAC. Together, we can build a community of artistic expression and innovation of the arts.

Picture the stage filled with students, singing songs of togetherness, overcoming obstacles and creating memories for a lifetime. DLFF’s collaborative efforts truly shine when it comes to providing access to produce our Elementary Partners’ events at the PAC. Together, we can build a community of artistic expression and innovation of the arts.

As we reflect on the impact of our work, huge feelings of pride and gratitude fill us. Every show, every concert, and every moment of artistic brilliance is proof of the power of collaboration. As we continue to unleash the potential of the arts, we look to our youth to inspire the mission of DLFF, to create memories, and fill our community.

We look forward to more collaborations and the opportunity to grow our program, where choice, purpose, and impact come together to create magic beyond the imagination.

GD-PAC PERFORMANCE SEASON:

The Grace Danaher Performing Arts Center Presents: Sherlock Holmes Performances Nov. 17, 18, 19

The CEC Christmas Concert Performances Friday, December 15

The Grace Danaher Performing Arts Center Presents: St. Mark’s Christmas Concert Performances Wednesday, December 20

CAT’s in the Community

This past year three of our creative arts scholars, Ariella Parks '26, Valentina Recchia ‘24 and Cole Pustay ‘25, worked together to create two beautiful murals at the Family Service Emergency Shelter. Each mural represents something meaningful to Family Service and their residents. The first, a tree formed into the shape of a heart to represent families that grow together, and apart but at their root remain the same. The second, a hard hat representing Matty’s Home of Hope project and the Matthew P. Pellegrino II Memorial Foundation, who have been strong supporters of Family Service. On June 6th, Family Service awarded our scholars with a certificate of appreciation to thank them for their hard work and dedication. We are overwhelmed with pride seeing our CAT scholars designs come to life, and the light, love and a bright future ahead these murals will bring to all that see them. ■

ADVANCEMENT

The Power of Partnership The Impact of DLFF's Advancement Support

By Maryann Conway Director of Development Services

To say that DLFF has an impact is truly an understatement. Whether assisting a new grassroots partner like the African American Museum of Bucks County or a longtime elementary school partner like Holy Family Regional Catholic School, DLFF unleashes potential, and as such these organizations and the individuals they serve thrive.

Our work is diversified. The Spring Challenge, for example, is an annual fundraising appeal at Holy Family implemented to bolster the Holy Family Fund. The school was looking at a significant deficit and given a goal well beyond what was thought to be possible. DLFF has no crystal ball or magic wand, but it does have strong-minded and data driven thinkers, collaborators, trained in areas of expertise. We challenge ourselves and our partners to strategize, envision all that is possible and make it happen. The impact of the dollars raised was phenomenal, however DLFF resources were and continue to be invaluable. Furthermore, impact, on a personal level, is unleashing what rests in the heart, mind and soul and putting it into play. DLFF partners can teach technique, mentor, and support. Embracing the opportunity will allow you to see and feel the impact.

asking for a gift or establishing a relationship, it cannot be replaced with anything so powerful. This spring, the 10th Annual Brian David Memorial Golf Tournament was held in support of Holy Family. As in years past, the $20,000 benchmark has been attained. This truly is a collaborative effort that includes the family of Brian David, Holy Family, the community, friends, the parish, and DLFF as sponsor. It is a fun-filled day to remember Brian, a Bishop Egan alumnus who died tragically in an accident. The energy and synergy at this event is reason to pause. Reflecting, I think to myself this is why I do what I do. People, purpose, pride, principle. They have an impact. The originators are Patty and Tom Lynch. Their impact will make its way through time. While novices at small fundraisers such as the Superbowl Pool, its impact on the school and the support behind it is grand.

I would like to close with poignant words from a recent graduate at Holy Family

Regional Catholic School. The impact of DLFF is as clear as the sky is blue. “I am most grateful for the opportunities afforded to me that helped achieve my goals. I will carry these memories with me. Thank you to the people who made a difference and had an impact. One of them is you.” -Bella Luna, Holy Family Class of 2024 ■

Meeting supporters of the school’s mission is like being in a room of overwhelming greatness. Whether

Pictured above: Holy Family Regional School Student Council members assisted at the 10th Annual Brian David Memorial Golf Outing this past spring.

Our scholars, mentors, friends, and partners have made quite an impact this year! Take a look back at some news and notables from 2023 and 2024 so far!

Back in 2020, DLFF/CEC Scholar Ava Aita started her own fundraiser to benefit those currently battling breast cancer. This year, through September and October, Ava designed and sold t-shirts to raise $400 for the Penn Medicine Abramson Cancer Center.

At the end of December, Mr. Jahmai Person led the DLFF scholars to The Christmas Gala, where they sang holiday carols to those around.

Kicking off the second half of the school year, Pathway Scholars worked on greeting card projects at their grade schools. This year, the cards were Happy New Year themed.

DLFF/CEC Scholar Kiley Delfin organized a school-wide Valentine's day dress down, to benefit Fox Chase Cancer Center. She fundraised $1,050!

On March 4, the CEC Counseling Department and NOVA Bucks co-hosted a discussion on college campus safety to the Class of 2024.

DLFF/CEC Scholars presented on choice and impact from their service work this year at our annual Scholar Brunch on March 10.

Our Pathway Scholars led a donation drive throughout the month of April in each of their schools to help benefit their chosen organization.

At the end of May, our DLFF Senior Scholars along with members of the DLFF team gathered in the CEC courtyard for their Senior Farewell. Seniors were able receive their DLFF yearbooks and reflect on the memories, friendships and skills they learned over the last four years.

This past May and June, DLFF/CEC Scholar Monica Cunningham spent time at the Family Service Emergency Shelter, designing a bulletin board that inspires hope and healing and encourages residents to visit and tend to the Hope & Healing garden outside the shelter.